A pair of AEW Tag Team title eliminator matches headline tonight’s live edition of AEW Collision from Chicago as their residency in the city wraps up.
In a semifinal match, former champions FTR will take on the Bang Bang Gang of Austin Gunn & Juice Robinson. The other is a quarterfinal as Brodido (Brody King & Bandido) face the Gates of Agony with the winners moving on to face the Young Bucks in a future semifinal.
Reigning TNT Champion Dustin Rhodes will take on Kyle Fletcher in a street fight coming out of last week’s challenge.
Former TBS Champion Willow Nightingale will get her wish as her challenge of Thekla has been accepted. Another former TBS Champion and Nightingale ally/enemy Kris Statlander will also be in action against an opponent to be named.
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Here we are all colliding and stuff off the back of Godzilla, no less! AEW Collision is here and starting now!
And it kicked off in style with the Death Riders wrecking shop! Jon Moxley grabbed a mic and stomped into the ring while Wheeler Yuta and Marina Shafir backed him up. Moxley lamented that Darby Allin survived his trip to Mt Everest and is now in Mox’s business.
Mox called him out and like so many Stings before him, Allin appeared on the balcony of the arena. Allin slinked off, apparently not heading to the ring and the Death Riders left through the crowd to go find him.
A recap of last night’s Dynamite played to bring everyone up to speed.
AEW World Tag Team Title Eliminator Tournament Quarter Final Match: Gates Of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) vs. Brodido (Bandido & Brody King)
For those not in the know, ROH Champion Bandido is low-key the best champion in wrestling right now. His ROH Title defenses have been instant classics. Gates of Agony are downright terrifying, so no matter who wins the chance to face the Young Bucks in the semi-finals, that match will be a good one.
Bandido kicked things off against Kaun with the latter having a significant size advantage. Bandido’s agility and resiliency off set that though and they flew around the ring. Kaun landed a big lariat, but Bandido was right back up with an arm drag. Then Liona tagged in.
Bandido was more than happy to face Liona, but the crowd wanted King. Liona threw Bandido into the corner and they got their wish. The absolutely massive King stepped in the ring and the meat began a-slappin’.
King and Liona traded chops until King decided to throw a lariat and knock Liona out. Bandido and Kaun tagged back in, but Bandido sent him out. King and Bandido double teamed Liona, with King using Bandido as a weapon.
Liona dragged King out of the ring and back body dropped him on the entrance ramp. Bandido was body dropped by Kaun on the top rope and then tossed out to join his partner. Everyone went back to their corners after that and the match settled for a moment into Kaun and Bandido exchanging holds.
Liona tagged in and he and Kaun double teamed an isolated Bandido in their corner. Kaun made a run across the ring ro take out King before GoA delivered a double backstabber to Bandido. A miscommunication led to Liona accidentally hitting Kaun with Bandido. Bandido tagged in King and he splashed Kaun and Liona in the corner.
Kaun left, but King was able to hit a cannonball in the corner on Liona. He tagged in Bandido and the did a tandem dive through the ropes onto the Gates of Agony on the outside where all four men brawled. Bandido sent Kaun into the first row and King tossed Liona back into the ring.
Bandido went up top and hit a frog splash, but Kaun returned a broke up the pin. Kaun sent King out, twice, and then set Bandido up with Liona’s help for top rope powerbomb. It only resulted in a two count though. Liona took out King on the outside, but he was back to break up a pin attempt.
King picked up Liona (impressive in it’s own right) and then hit a death valley drover on the ring apron (the agony-est part of the ring!). Then he grabbed Kaun and hit a superplex off the top rope! Bandido leapt on him and got the pin, sending Brodido to the semis!
Match Result: Brodido defeated Gates of Agony
A terrific match as expected. Bandido continues to impress, King is a killer and the Gates looked good in this loss, I don’t think it hurts them at all. I mean, it hurt them. But not in terms of character.
-The Don Callis Family joined Lexy Nair backstage. Callis said that his Family is going to be getting all the titles, power and money AEW has to offer. Shane Taylor appeared, looking for the money STP and the Infantry earned on Dynamite last night. Lance Archer stepped in and Callis said that if STP takes out Sky Flight, then they could talk about the money. Taylor was not happy.
-Back from commercial, Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly joined Lexy Nair. Nair asked of Strong was now in the Conglomeration. O’Reilly made the sell, and Ishii, Hologram and Willow Nightingale arrived. Nightingale tee’d up her match and off she went!
-Before the match could start though, we went backstage where the Death Riders were still looking for Darby Allin. Suddenly, Allin appeared out of a dark corner and appeared to chloroform Moxley! The scene switched back to the ring…
Kris Statlander vs Lina Cross
This match happened so fast, I barely had time to keep up. Stalander pushed Cross around off the top, sending her to the mat with a big shoulder. She put Cross up in a stalling suplex and dropped her with precise fashion. Cross fought back with a pump kick and a german suplex, but Statlander overpowered her. Statlander locked in a new submission hold, and Cross tapped out.
Match Result: Kris Statlander defeated Lina Cross
As that match ended, Willow Nightingale’s music played and the two crossed paths without acknowledging each other on the ramp.
Willow Nightingale vs. Thekla (w/Sky Blue and Julia Hart)
Thekla had a serious power disadvantage, with Nightingale throwing her into the corner off the top. Hart and Blue got up in the ring apron to cause a slow-moving distraction and Thekla got a shot in. Nightingale kept control though as the two reset and stared each other down.
Thekla got a shot in on Nightingale’s throat and sent her reeling. Thekla went up top, but Nightingale dodged it and chopped her in the center of the ring. Nightingale hoisted her up and dropped her in the center of the ring for a cross body, followed but a powerful pounce.
Here, they announced that Sky Flight would face Shane Taylor Promotions later in the show.
Thekla sent Nightingale into the steel steps on the outside and then dragged her back into the ring. She peppered Nightingale with kicks and put on a strong chinlock, wrenching Nightingale’s back. Nightingale wouldn’t give up, so Thekla began complaining to the ref. That gave Nightingale an opening and the two traded chops.
Thekla got Nightingale into the corner and put on a headscissor lock over the top rope. Nightingale responded with a big lariat and then two more for good measure. Nightingale hit a shotgun dropkick from the second rope, but only got a two-count.
Thekla resorted to slapping Nightingale in the face, sending her to the ropes. Thekla set her up for a knee shot, but Nightingale played possum and lured her in for a death valley driver. Dragging Thekla to the top rope, Nightingale found herself in trouble as Thekla set her up for a superplex.
Blue and Hart stalked Nightingale on the outside while Thekla dove from the top rope. She threw Nightingale back in and Nightingale went back to the well for a springboard lariat, followed by a cannonball in the corner.
Nightingale went for a powerbomb but Hart and Blue got up on the ring to cause the distraction. That let Thekla get a stomp in on Nightingale’s head and that was in. 1,2,3 Thekla got the win.
Match Result: Thekla defeated Willow Nightingale
After the match, Blue and Hart joined in on a beatdown of Nightingale. However, Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford appeared to make it a 5-on-1 affair. Queen Aminata’s music hit and she came to the ring with Tay Melo and a whole bunch of chairs and pieces of wood. They chased the heels off as The Conglomeration tended to Nightingale.
This was a good match, especially after the weird Statlander squash. The melee at the end was a little too chaotic for me and I lost track of what was going on. That said, there’s a lot of stories running through that group of women, so I’m interested to see where all of it goes.
-Backstage, Billy Gunn joined Lexy Nair. Anthony Bowens arrived and yelled at him for a bit. Gunn said that he didn’t even know who Bowens was any more and left, Bowens calling “coward!” after him.
-A video was shown of Swerve Strickland outside the arena. He called out the Young Bucks and Okada and he promised to be around to take care of them. He challenged Okada for the Unified Championship at Forbidden Door.
-Don Callis and Okada responded right away, saying that Okada has the edge becuase he has Callis himself to advise him. They accepted the challenge and Okada said “let’s just fight, bitch.”
AEW World Tag Team Title Eliminator Tournament Semi Final Match: FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) (w/Stokely) vs. Bang Bang Gang (Austin Gunn & Juice Robinson)(w/ Cardboard Cut out Jay White and Colton Gunn)
So, that’s the longest match heading I think I’ve ever typed. Also, Danny Garcia was on commentary.
The winners of this match move on to the finals for the right to face the Hurt Syndicate LLC, and Robinson and Harwood showed that they both wanted it bad off the top. The battled back and forth until Gunn was tagged in. Harwood sent him to the mat with an arm drag.
Gunn tagged Robinson back in and Harwood drove him into the corner for some chops. Robinson foight back with some chops of his own, sending Harwood face first into the turnbuckle while Bryan Kieth and Big Bill watched backstage at that angle that all wrestlers seem to watch tv.
Wheeler tagged in to face off against Gunn and the two traded chops before Gunn tagged Robinson back in. Things broke down and Gunn and Robinson took out both members of FTR with stereo back body drops and lariats to the outside.
Stokely limped over and gave FTR some words of encouragement while Gunn and Robinson waited in the ring. The match somewhat reset and Harwood and Gunn locked up in the center of the ring. Harwood laid in some big right hands but Gunn fought back until Wheeler kicked him in the back through the ropes.
FTR double teamed Gunn, stomping him by the ropes. Wheeler tagged in a delivered a bunch of suplexes, followed by a sleeper. Gunn fought back, but Harwood tagged in with an abdominal stretch with an assist from Wheeler. The ref caught on though and broke it up. Gunn went for a hot tag but Harwood cut him off.
Gunn finally got the tag, but the ref didn’t see it and sent him back for a double team from FTR. Harwood sent Gunn to the outside where he spiked the camera and dodged as wheeler flew at him from the ring. Wheeler landed on the barricade and Harwood held Gunn until he made the hot tag to Robinson.
Robinson jumped in and cleared the ring. Harwood slipped out of the ring and Robinson followed, sending him back in. Stokely tried to interfere with his crutch, but Robinson kicked it away and set Harwood up on the top rope. Harwood bit Robinson on the head and sent him to Wheeler. Robinson sent Wheeler to the outside.
Gunn hit a suplex from the top rope and Robinson tried a pin. Wheeler jumped from the top rope to break up the pin, but Robinson rolled out of the way and Wheeler hit Harwood instead. Robinson landed a blade runner, but it only resulted in a two-count.
Gunn and Harwood faced off, but neither could get the advantage. Robinson arrived to break up a shatter machine and Gunn hit the fame-ass-er, but again just a two count as Wheeler broke it up. Robinson went after Stokely, but Wheeler sent him into the stairs.
Gunn fought off both Wheeler and Harwood, but the ref was distracted. Harwood and Wheeler double teamed him and Harwood got a rollup to send FTR to the tournament Finals.
Match Result: FTR defeated Bang Bang Gang
There’s a reason FTR matches are some of my favourite of all time. It was super fast, back and forth and the outcome was never obvious for either team. I liked the quick tags, classic heel cheating and of course, the cutouts. The finals of this tournament are going to be hot!
-Backstage, ROH Women’s World Champion Athena cut a promo. She said that it’s going to be really easy to cash in and win the AEW Women’s Championship. Athena said that she is going to use her contract to defeat Toni Storm in London at Forbidden Door.
-In the ring, Max Caster said that he was here to cheer up “Chiraq” by allowing the crowd to chant for him. Which they did. Caster cut them off and said that they couldn’t hang with him, just like Anthony Bowens. He called Bowens a bland, crybaby bitch and issued his Open Challenge. Five minutes went up on the clock and the challenge was answered by…
Rush!
Max Caster vs Rush
So, if you haven’t seen Rush lately he’s very large and has an even larger coat. The bell rang and the challenge was on. Caster immediately dove out of the ring as Rush ran at him. When he tried to get back in, Rush, rushed him again. This went on for a while as the clock ticked down.
Caster jogged around the ring, playing to the crowd while Rush impatiently waited in the ring. Caster got too involved in his showboating though and Rush slipped out a crushed him. As the clock ticked to three minutes, Rush sent Caster into the barricades again and again.
Finally, Rush tossed Caster back into the ring, but Caster leapt to the top rope and hit a cross body from the ring post onto Rush. Two minutes remained as Caster put Rush back into the ring. Caster went for a splash, but Rush dodged it and picked up where he left off pumelling Caster.
Only a minute remained as Rush started some showboating of his own. Caster tried to rush him, but Rush hit a powerslam, unconcerned with the clock as he beat Caster in the corner. With 10 seconds left, Rush lined Caster up, but then the time expired and the bell rang, ending the match,
Rush did not like that and dropkicked Caster in the corner. He demanded that the Ref count the pin, but the ref said the match was over. So the rest of LFI came down to the ring and beat up Caster. Security tried to intervene but they didn’t make much headway until JetSpeed arrived! Everyone battled up the ramp, leaving Caster laying in the ring.
Match Result: Rush defeated Max Caster? I think?
I was really enjoying this spectacle of a match until the weird ending. I love Open Challenges and Caster’s are great, with a pretty good gimmick to them. But it all just seemed kinda pointless, especially once JetSpeed got involved.
Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor and The Infantry – Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo) Vs Sky Flight (Top Flight – Darius and Daunte Martin – and Scorpio Sky)
This match was set up earlier in the night so that Shane Taylor Promotions could earn the money that they earned on Dynamite last night. The infantry got involved pretty much immediately as Bravo, Dean and Bravo took turns hitting moves on Darius on the ring apron.
STP had complete control of the match in the opening, isolating Daunte and triple teaming him in the corner. STP used every violent trick in the book including a killer one-handed chokeslam from Taylor.
Back from break, Daunte tagged in with Dean and fortunes started to turn for Sky Flight. Daunte got a hot tag to Sky who cleared the ring. Daunte leapt over the top rope taking out Taylor and Bravo. Sky, in the middle of the ring managed to hit his finisher and get the pin.
Match Result: Sky Flight defeated Shane Taylor Promotions
-Backsage the camera showed Darby Allin dragging Jon Moxley to the top of a fire escape. Just as Allin was about to shove Mox off the fire escape and presumably multiple stories down, AEW Security showed up (?) and dragged Allin away.
That was very, very strange. Did Allin just commit attempted murder? Why were there security guys on the fire escape? Where were Yuta and Shafir? I have more questions, but there are only 12 minutes left in the show.
AEW TNT Title Chicago Street Fight: Dustin Rhodes (c) vs. Kyle Fletcher
To shake off the last 20 minutes or so, it’s time for the main event! Dustin Rhodes has found the fountain of youth and has been doing his best work in what should be the twilight of his career. Fletcher is absolutely killer and not only looks like a 2025 Shawn Micheals, he works like him too.
Rhodes laid the hammer down right away, while Don Callis on commentary lamented the use of a closed fist… in a street fight. The match spilled out of the ring and Fletcher found a kendo stick. Rhodes took it away from him and laid in some hard smacks.
Fletcher reversed the favor though, pulling the steel steps away from the ring and hitting a DDT on top of them, sending Rhodes to the ground. Fletcher then went under the ring for a table and leaned it up against the barricade. He laid Rhodes out on it and dove at him through the ring ropes. Rhodes dodged it though and Fletcher flew through the table.
Rhodes grabbed a second table and set it up at ringside. He also pulled a bullrope from under the ring, introducing it to Fletcher’s face. Repeatedly. Rhodes, bleeding from the forehead pulled Fletcher, also bleeding from the forehead, to the ring apron and tried to bulldog Fletcher onto the table. Fletcher grabbed a rope though, so Rhodes went through the table solo.
Back from commercial, Fletcher was whipping Rhodes with his own cowbell, focusing on the knee. Fletcher charged Rhodes who flipped him over with a Code Red. Rhodes began pounding on Fletcher, executing a CrossRhodes, but only getting a two count.
Rhodes went under the ring and grabbed a couple of chairs. Fletcher picked one up and they played lightsabers until Rhodes hit Fletcher in the back. A lot. Rhodes took a little too long to lay in the killing blow and Fletcher kicked the chair back into his face. Fletcher set up two chairs and hit a jumping pile driver on the seats. Rhodes kicked out at two.
Fletcher grabbed a table and brought it into the ring as the show went into overtime. Fletcher pulled Rhodes to the top turnbuckle, looking for a superplex. Rhodes fought back though, sending Fletcher through his own table with a massive Texas Destroyer! Somehow, Fletcher kicked out at two though.
Rhodes went under the ring and pulled out a set of work gloves…. covered in tacks! He went for the Iron Claw, but Fletcher blocked it. Rhodes pushed though though and hit the claw with the tack gloves! What a weird thing to write!
Fletcher got free and brought a whole bag full of tacks unto the ring. He spread them out and went for a suplex. Rhodes reversed it. Then Fletcher reversed it. This went on for a while until Rhodes hit a powerslam right on the tacks!
Fletcher, regretting his choice of outfit, got set up by Rhodes in the corner. Rhodes poured the remainder of the tacks into Fletcher’s trunks and shattered his dreams!
Rhodes pulled Fletcher up, but Callis had slipped Fletcher a screwdriver which he drove into Rhodes’ head. Callis then held Rhodes against the rope while Fletcher stabbed him in the leg over and over. The screwdriver hung out of Rhodes’ leg until a medical staff member pulled it out.
Fletcher hit a brainbuster on Rhodes in the middle of the tacks and got the pin to win the match and the TNT Championship.
Match Result: Kyle Fletcher defeated Dustin Rhodes
After the match, Callis and Fletcher beat on Rhodes with a chair until officials sent them packing.
Wow. That was downright gruesome. Hell of a match and I’m sad to see Rhodes’ title reign end so quickly, but they both earned that match. I’ll say this about AEW; they pack a LOT into two-and-a-bit hours. Two great tag matches, an awesome main event and overall, a pretty good show with only a few confusing moments. But it’s wrestling, there’s always a few confusing moments. Either way, I had fun so mission accomplished, Collision!
